1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus that records images by discharging ink onto a recording material. More particularly, the invention relates to the removal of ink mists which are generated when ink is discharged.
2. Related Background Art
The conventional ink jet recording apparatus is capable of providing high quality images, but when images are recorded by discharging ink onto a recording material, ultrafine ink particles, which are called ink mists, are generated. Such ultrafine ink mists may sometimes spread in the interior of the recording apparatus to caused it stained with them. Then, it is conceivable that such ink mist stains produce unfavorable effects on various parts in the interior of the recording apparatus. For example, if recording material carrier means is stained, it may result in the stains on the recording material or if the optical sensor or the like is stained, an inappropriate detection may ensue eventually. If the guide members of the carriage for a serial recording apparatus or the like should be stained, resistance may increase to the driving of the carriage, hence inviting the defective operation, among some others.
In order to suppress the spreading of the ink mists of the kind, there has been known a structure for the removal of the generated mists, which is provided with the fan and filters in the ink jet printer as disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-238784. For the filters of the kind, it is arranged to overlap a filter having fine gaps with a filter having rough gaps. Then, the fine gap filter uses an electrostatically charged cloth, which is structured in a folded form like a fan with pleats or in a wavy form in order to increase the mist filtering effect, while suppressing the influence that may be exerted on the air flow that passes the filter.
However, with an ink jet printer of the kind, it is necessary to enforce the collector capability to collect mists sufficiently by making the gaps of filters more minute or by adopting some other means. Then, a problem is encountered that the loss of the air flow that passes the filter becomes greater and the suction efficiency is lowered. Further, if the use time is longer, filtered mists are allowed to adhere to the filter and clog the gaps thereof, thus resulting in more loss of the flow of air that passes. Therefore, the filters should be replaced per use of a specific period of time.
With a view to solving the problems discussed above, the present invention is designed. It is an object of the invention to provide a method for removing ink mists, which is capable of collecting them in the interior of an ink jet recording apparatus without making the quantitative loss greater for the flow of air that passes, and then, to prevent the defective operation or the like due to the stains adhering to various members in the apparatus, thus making it possible to provide a highly reliable ink jet recording apparatus having a longer life, which is capable of performing image recording stably.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method for removing ink mists by collecting ink mists that float in the interior of an ink jet recording apparatus by the application of static electricity in order to suck and collect them efficiently in the ink jet recording apparatus without making the loss greater for the air flow that passes.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an ink jet recording apparats for forming images on a recording material by use of recording means for recording images by discharging ink, comprising carrier means for carrying the recording material; ink mist removal means for enabling the ink mists generated at the time of image recording by recording means to flow in a specific direction; and electric field formation members arranged for the wall faces of the ink mist removable means in the flowing passage of the ink mists.
Other objectives and advantages besides those discussed above will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which follows. In the description, reference is made to accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which illustrate an example of the invention. Such example, however, is not exhaustive of the various embodiments of the invention, and therefore reference is made to the claims which follow the description for determining the scope of the invention.